The present invention relates to improvements in treads used on foot powered treadmills, optionally on motor powered treadmills, where the tread is comprised of a series of interconnected slats. Pat. App. Publication 2012/0010048 of Bayerlein et al. describes a foot powered treadmill with a slatted tread. U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,598 of Schoenenberger describes a motorized treadmill.
In a foot powered treadmill, a runner's foot-force applied to the typically concave upper surface of the tread causes the tread to move around rollers at the front and back of the treadmill. Thus it is important that a runner's foot have good frictional engagement with the tread.
In prior art foot powered treadmills, slats have been made of metal or molded plastic. Some prior art treads have comprised a structural metal or plastic portion, the top of which is covered with a layer of unyielding thermoplastic elastomer. Heretofore, the top surfaces of typical slats, which present a running surface to a runner's foot, have been relatively smooth; that is, they have had light texturing or roughening, and sometimes are lightly embossed with a decorative logo or name.
Running on a treadmill might be purely for the exercise, with the treadmill providing several conveniences compared to finding and running on a track, on a grassy field, or on a trail that runs through a park or woods. Often, running on a treadmill is a runner's way of conveniently preparing himself or herself for a run on a track or trail or turf. When that is the case, a plain rubberized surfaces on the treads of the prior art have not been well-simulative of the surface of an actual track or trail surface, and have presented a different feel. The present invention fills the need for a treadmill which is more simulative of an actual running experience.